NHS staff are appealing to families and friends who wish to visit patients in local hospitals in South Devon to ‘visit responsibly’ to help reduce the spread of the common sickness and diarrhoea bug, Norovirus.

Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, which runs Torbay Hospital and community hospitals in the area, has experienced an increase in cases of Norovirus and had to close one ward at Torbay Hospital to new admissions as a result. They say the virus is active in the community with ward closures in neighbouring Trust hospitals.

Dr Selina Hoque, director of infection prevention and control at Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, said: “Although Norovirus rarely requires medical treatment, for those who are already ill it can be more serious and it also makes it more complicated for us to provide care in the hospital.

Torbay Hospital (Image: Andy Styles)

“Most people will recover from the bug within a few days, but will remain contagious for some time after the symptoms have disappeared. For hospital patients, who can often be more vulnerable due to existing illness or injury, the bug can have a more serious impact on their health. It is vitally important we protect our patients and we have well established systems in place to do this. However, we really need visitors and members of the public to assist us by visiting responsibly.

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“We know that people place great value on being able to visit loved ones in hospital, but when we are experiencing infection outbreaks in the community and in hospitals, they can unknowingly put patients’ health at risk.

“If you are feeling unwell, or actually have diarrhoea or vomiting, please don’t come into our hospitals as a visitor for at least 48 hours after the last symptom has disappeared. If you become unwell whilst you are visiting then please tell someone in charge, even if you were ill in a toilet. Also, if you are due to attend for an operation or for an outpatient appointment and have been ill, then please ring the hospital and let them know.”

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Torbay and South Devon NHS Trust chief executive, Mairead McAlinden, has made a direct, personal call for the public to help keep our hospitals infection-free. She said: “We are working very hard to keep our hospitals and community services free from Norovirus and Influenza at this busy time of year.

"We assess every patient coming into our hospitals for any infections that could put themselves or others at risk, and for patients who need to be admitted we make sure to place these patients appropriately to protect them and others. Our dedicated clinical and hospital cleaning staff work really hard to deliver our high standards of decontamination and infection control to limit any spread of infection.

"But we also need the help of our local community to keep our hospitals, care homes and community facilities as infection-free as possible. We know how much our patients appreciate visitors while they are in hospital, but if you are experiencing any infectious illness such as flu, vomiting or stomach upset, please do not visit until you are 48 hours symptom free. If you become unwell whilst visiting please inform a member of staff straightaway. By doing this, you will be helping us to keep our patients and staff safe and free of infection.”

Mairead McAlinden

The symptoms of norovirus infection begin around 12 to 48 hours after a person becomes infected. Symptoms can last for 12 to 60 hours. They start with the sudden onset of nausea followed by projectile vomiting and watery diarrhoea. Some people will have a raised temperature, headaches and aching limbs. Most people make a full recovery within one or two days.

The most effective way to avoid the infection is through good hand washing, using soap and warm water rather than special hand-gels, particularly after using the toilet and before eating and drinking anything. This is especially important if others in the house are unwell.

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For most cases of Norovirus the best thing to do is rest and make sure you are getting plenty of fluids. If you are worried about being ill, particularly if you feel that you are becoming dehydrated, please call your GP surgery or dial 111 for advice. NHS 111 is a fast and easy way to get the right help, whatever the time — it's available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Alternatively, for online healthcare advice, visit www.nhs.uk.

The Trust’s switchboard can be contacted on 0300 456 8000 (local rate) or 01803 614567.

All you need to know about the dreaded Norovirus

The NHS says Norovirus, which causes diarrhoea and vomiting, is one of the most common stomach bugs in the UK. It's also called the winter vomiting bug because it's more common in winter, although you can catch it at any time of the year.

Norovirus can be very unpleasant but it usually clears up by itself in a few days. You can normally look after yourself or your child at home.

Try to avoid going to your GP, as norovirus can spread to others very easily. Call your GP or NHS 111 if you're concerned or need any advice.

Some people also have a slight fever, headaches, painful stomach cramps and aching limbs.

The symptoms appear one to two days after you become infected and typically last for up to 2 or 3 days.

WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE NOROVIRUS:

If you experience sudden diarrhoea and vomiting, the best thing to do is to stay at home until you're feeling better. There's no cure for norovirus, so you have to let it run its course.

You don't usually need to get medical advice unless there's a risk of a more serious problem.

To help ease your own or your child’s symptoms:

Drink plenty of fluids to avoid dehydration. You need to drink more than usual to replace the fluids lost from vomiting and diarrhoea – as well as water, adults could also try fruit juice and soup. Avoid giving fizzy drinks or fruit juice to children as it can make their diarrhoea worse. Babies should continue to feed as usual, either with breast milk or other milk feeds.

If you feel like eating, eat plain foods such as soup, rice, pasta and bread.

Use special rehydration drinks made from sachets bought from pharmacies if you have signs of dehydration, such as a dry mouthor dark urine.

Adults can take antidiarrhoeal and anti-emetic (anti-vomiting) medication – these aren't suitable for everyone though, so you should check the medicine leaflet or ask or your pharmacist or GP for advice before trying them.

Babies and young children, especially if they're less than a year old, have a greater risk of becoming dehydrated.

Norovirus can spread very easily, so you should wash your handsregularly while you're ill and stay off work or school until at least 48 hours after the symptoms have cleared to reduce the risk of passing it on.

WHEN TO GET MEDICAL ADVICE:

You don't normally need to see your GP if you think you or your child has norovirus, as there's no specific treatment for it.

Visiting your GP surgery with norovirus can put others at risk, so it's best to call your GP or NHS 111 if you're concerned or feel you need advice.

Get medical advice if:

your baby or child has passed 6 or more watery stools in the past 24 hours, or has vomited 3 times or more in the past 24 hours

your baby or child is less responsive, feverish, or has pale or mottled skin

you or your child has symptoms of severe dehydration, such as persistent dizziness, only passing small amounts of urine or no urine at all, or reduced consciousness – babies and elderly people have a greater risk of becoming dehydrated

you have bloody diarrhoea

your symptoms haven't started to improve after a few days

you or your child have a serious underlying condition, such as kidney disease, and have diarrhoea and vomiting

Your GP may suggest sending off a sample of your stool to a laboratory to confirm whether you have norovirus or another infection.

HOW IS NOROVIRUS SPREAD?

Norovirus spreads very easily in public places such as hospitals, nursing homes and schools.

You can catch it if small particles of vomit or poo from an infected person get into your mouth, such as through:

close contact with someone with norovirus – they may breathe out small particles containing the virus that you could inhale

touching contaminated surfaces or objects – the virus can survive outside the body for several days

eating contaminated food – this can happen if an infected person doesn't wash their hands before handling food

A person with norovirus is most infectious from when their symptoms start until 48 hours after all their symptoms have passed, although they may also be infectious for a short time before and after this.

You can get norovirus more than once because the virus is always changing, so your body is unable to build up long-term resistance to it.

PREVENTING NOROVIRUS:

It's not always possible to avoid getting norovirus, but following the advice below can help stop the virus spreading.

Stay off work or school until at least 48 hours after the symptoms have passed. You should also avoid visiting anyone in hospital during this time.

Wash your hands frequently and thoroughly with soap and water, particularly after using the toilet and before preparing food. Don't rely on alcohol hand gels, as they don't kill the virus.

Disinfect any surfaces or objects that could be contaminated. It's best to use a bleach-based household cleaner.

Wash any items of clothing or bedding that could have become contaminated separately on a hot wash to ensure the virus is killed.

Don't share towels and flannels.

Flush away any infected poo or vomit in the toilet and clean the surrounding area.

Avoid eating raw, unwashed produce and only eat oysters from a reliable source, as oysters can carry norovirus.